--- title: "5 ComfyUI Alternatives for Hosted Image Editing" url: https://www.imagequarry.com/alternatives/comfyui/ last_updated: 2026-10-20 --- # ComfyUI alternatives for image work without a local GPU ComfyUI is an open-source engine from Comfy Org that runs image, video, audio and 3D models through a visual node graph, either on your own Windows, Linux or Mac machine or in the paid Comfy Cloud. People look elsewhere when they want results without wiring nodes or owning a capable GPU: local use starts at 4GB of VRAM, and Comfy Cloud gives new users 5 free runs before a paid plan. Mage suits people who want open models hosted in a browser, Krea those who still like a node editor, Invoke people staying local, and Replicate developers. ImageQuarry suits people who would rather describe each change in words and keep every version. _We make ImageQuarry, one of the alternatives below. ComfyUI and each alternative were compared on setup and hardware, how edits are made, model choice, how you start, saving work and price, using each vendor's public pages, checked October 20, 2026._ ## ComfyUI alternatives at a glance | Tool | Best for | Price from | How it differs | |---|---|---|---| | Mage | People who want open models such as SDXL, Flux 2 and Chroma in a browser, with nothing to install | Free plan with 300 sign-up Gems; Basic $10 a month billed monthly | Hosted open and in-house models, with Mango edits from typed instructions | | Krea | People who like working in nodes but want the hardware handled and a daily allowance | Free plan of 100 units a day; Basic $9 a month billed monthly | A hosted Node Editor, edit by typing, and 100 units a day | | ImageQuarry | People who want to describe each change instead of wiring a workflow, and keep every result | Starter $9 or Pro $29, each billed monthly | No nodes to build: ask for a change in words and get a new version | | Invoke | People staying local and open source who prefer a layered canvas to a node graph | No pricing; open source under Apache 2.0 | Open-source desktop app with a layer canvas, boards and node workflows | | Replicate | Developers who want to call image models from code and pay per run | Usage based, for example flux-dev at $0.025 per output image | A cloud API for open and closed models, billed by usage | ## What is ComfyUI? ComfyUI describes itself as a "visual node graph for building and reusing image, video, audio, 3D, and text workflows without code". The core is open source under GPL v3, runs fully offline, and ships a new stable release roughly every 2 weeks. Its README names text to image models from Stable Diffusion 1.5 and SDXL to Flux.2, Qwen Image and HiDream, editing models such as Flux Kontext and Qwen Image Edit, and partner nodes for closed models such as Nano Banana. Comfy Cloud is the official paid hosted version. _ComfyUI is an engine you assemble workflows in, not a single model or a finished editing app, so what it can do depends on the nodes and models you load._ ## ComfyUI pricing These are Comfy Cloud prices; the open-source core under GPL v3 runs on your own hardware. Comfy Cloud counts usage in credits per year (50,400 on Standard), caps each workflow run at 30 minutes (1 hour on Pro), and lists Enterprise as contact sales. Prices as of October 2026, from comfy.org. Check the vendor for current pricing. - ComfyUI Comfy Cloud, new users: $0 one-time start (5 free runs on real GPUs and free Comfy Agent credits) - ComfyUI Standard: $20 per month, billed monthly (50,400 credits a year, 30 minute max workflow runtime; $192 a year billed yearly) - ComfyUI Creator: $35 per month, billed monthly (88,800 credits a year, import your own models such as LoRAs; $336 a year billed yearly) - ComfyUI Pro: $100 per month, billed monthly (253,200 credits a year, workflow runtime up to 1 hour; $960 a year billed yearly) - ComfyUI Team: $700 per month, billed monthly (1,772,400 credits a year at the shown tier, up to 50 members, shared credit pool; $7,560 a year billed yearly) Prices as of 2026-10. ## What ComfyUI does well - **Almost any open model, plus closed ones through partner nodes**: The README lists text to image models including SD3.5, Flux.2, Qwen Image, Z-Image, HiDream, Chroma, Ideogram 4 and Krea 2, editing models such as Flux Kontext, Flux.2 Klein and Qwen Image Edit, and partner nodes for closed models like Nano Banana and Seedance. - **Runs offline on modest hardware**: ComfyUI says it can run even the biggest open source models on as little as 4GB of VRAM and 8GB of RAM, supports NVIDIA, AMD, Intel, Apple Silicon and Ascend GPUs, and that the core downloads nothing unless you ask it to. - **Workflows travel as files**: You can save and load workflows as JSON, recover a complete workflow and seed from supported generated media, and save 16 bit PNG, 32 bit EXR or 10 bit AVIF output. - **An agent that builds the graph for you**: Comfy Agent lets you describe what you want inside ComfyUI, then plans, builds and runs the workflow, and the pricing page says it works on every plan. - **Frequent releases**: The latest release, v0.42.1, was published on October 19, 2026, and the core ships a new major stable version roughly every 2 weeks. ## Where ComfyUI falls short - **Local use means managing your own GPU**: Running ComfyUI yourself needs at least 4GB of VRAM and 8GB of RAM, and you choose between a desktop app, a portable install or a manual install. - **A small free start in the cloud**: Comfy Cloud gives new users 5 free runs and some Comfy Agent credits; after that the cheapest plan is Standard at $20 a month billed monthly. - **Cloud runs have time limits**: Each Comfy Cloud workflow run can last at most 30 minutes, or 1 hour on Pro, and you can queue up to 100 workflows at once. - **Shared projects are not live on Team yet**: The $700 a month Team plan invites up to 50 members with a shared credit pool, but lists Projects and shared workflows and assets as coming soon. ## Why people look for a ComfyUI alternative - You do not have, or do not want to look after, a machine that meets ComfyUI's 4GB VRAM and 8GB RAM floor. - You want hosted generation, and Comfy Cloud moves you to a $20 a month plan after 5 free runs. - You would rather ask for an edit than build or adjust a node graph, even with Comfy Agent planning workflows for you. - Your group needs shared projects now, and Comfy Cloud lists Projects on its Team plan as coming soon. ## The 5 ComfyUI alternatives ### 1. Mage Best for: People who want open models such as SDXL, Flux 2 and Chroma in a browser, with nothing to install How it differs: Mage runs many of the open model families ComfyUI loads, including Stable Diffusion 1.5, SDXL, SD3.5, Flux 2, Chroma and Z-Image, in the browser. Its Mango 3 model edits an input image from exact instructions while keeping the rest in place, and creations are private by default on every plan, Free included. Mage even publishes ComfyUI nodes on its GitHub. Price: Free plan with 300 sign-up Gems; Basic $10 a month billed monthly (as of 2026-10) Limitation: Membership Gems expire after 30 days, the API is still in limited beta, and automation outside that API is forbidden. ### 2. Krea Best for: People who like working in nodes but want the hardware handled and a daily allowance How it differs: Krea's Node Editor connects models, prompts and processing steps in a visual editor, which will feel familiar to ComfyUI users, but it runs in Krea's web app. It adds "Edit by typing" on any image, a canvas that renders as you draw, and Krea's own models beside Flux, Nano Banana, Ideogram and others. Price: Free plan of 100 units a day; Basic $9 a month billed monthly (as of 2026-10) Limitation: Units on Basic, Pro and Max reset each month instead of rolling over, and compute packs expire after 90 days. ### 3. ImageQuarry Best for: People who want to describe each change instead of wiring a workflow, and keep every result How it differs: In ComfyUI an edit is a workflow you assemble from nodes and models. ImageQuarry has no graph: you select a version, ask for the change in words, such as a new background or warmer light, and the result arrives as a new version. Earlier versions stay, you can branch from any of them, and prompts, references and versions are kept together in projects. Price: Starter $9 or Pro $29, each billed monthly (as of 2026-10) Limitation: Every plan is paid, you choose between four built-in models rather than loading your own, and ImageQuarry has not published output specifications or Terms yet. ### 4. Invoke Best for: People staying local and open source who prefer a layered canvas to a node graph How it differs: Invoke is also open source and runs on your own machine, but it centres on a layer-based canvas with inpaint masks, control layers and regional references, plus boards for sorting images. A desktop launcher for Windows, macOS on Apple Silicon and Linux sits alongside Docker and manual installs, and node workflows are there when you need them. Price: No pricing; open source under Apache 2.0 (as of 2026-10) Limitation: It still runs on your own GPU (its guide suggests 8GB of VRAM for SDXL), and the hosted Invoke platform has been shut down. ### 5. Replicate Best for: Developers who want to call image models from code and pay per run How it differs: Replicate runs models behind a cloud API, so the GPU work happens on its hardware and you pay by run time or per output image instead of a subscription. Its homepage features Flux 2, Nano Banana 2, Seedream and GPT Image models, and the web Playground compares models before you write code. Text edits come through hosted models such as FLUX.1 Kontext [pro]. Price: Usage based, for example flux-dev at $0.025 per output image (as of 2026-10) Limitation: There are no subscription plans to budget against, and the Playground asks mobile visitors to switch to a desktop or laptop. ## Who should stay with ComfyUI - You have a capable GPU and want every open and editing model the README lists, running fully offline. - Your work depends on saved JSON workflows, or on recovering the full workflow and seed from a finished file. - You need 16 bit PNG or 32 bit EXR output for compositing or grading. - You like Comfy Agent planning a workflow while you keep the graph open for hand tuning. ## How to try an alternative alongside ComfyUI 1. Save each workflow you rely on as JSON, so it is ready in ComfyUI whatever you decide. 2. Keep your generated files as well, since ComfyUI can recover the complete workflow and seed from supported media, which makes each one a record of how it was made. 3. Write the purpose of each workflow as one plain sentence, such as "swap the background, keep the product", because Mage, Krea and ImageQuarry take a typed request rather than a graph. 4. Run two or three of those requests in the alternative on the same source images and put the results next to your ComfyUI output. 5. Keep your local install for jobs that need a particular open model or custom node while the hosted tool handles quick edits. Does not carry over: Node graphs, custom nodes and the models and LoRAs you installed locally belong to your ComfyUI setup; a hosted tool starts again from your images and a written request. ## ComfyUI alternatives: questions ### Is there a free ComfyUI alternative that runs online? Krea's free plan renews at 100 units a day, and Mage's free plan opens with a 300 Gem sign-up bonus and keeps creations private by default. Comfy Cloud itself gives new users 5 free runs. Invoke is open source like ComfyUI but runs on your own hardware. Every ImageQuarry plan is paid. ### Can I use ComfyUI without a GPU? Locally, the README gives a floor of 4GB of VRAM and 8GB of RAM. Comfy Cloud is the official paid hosted version, running on Blackwell RTX 6000 Pro GPUs with 96GB of VRAM, from $20 a month billed monthly. Mage, Krea and Replicate also run models on their own hardware, in the browser or through an API. ### Which ComfyUI alternative has an API? Replicate is built around a cloud API billed by usage, and Krea offers a public API for images and video. Mage's premium API is in limited beta. ComfyUI itself lists API endpoints next to Comfy Cloud. ### Which alternative is closest to ComfyUI's node workflows? Krea's Node Editor connects models, prompts and processing steps visually in the browser, and Invoke includes node-based workflows next to its canvas. Mage publishes ComfyUI nodes on its GitHub, so the two can work together. ### How does ImageQuarry compare with ComfyUI? ComfyUI gives you the whole engine: the models in its README, nodes, masks and offline runs. ImageQuarry is narrower. You describe an image or upload one, ask for changes in words, and each change becomes a version you can compare, branch from or download, using one of four models with Nano Banana 2.1 as the default. ## Sources Checked 2026-10-20. - [ComfyUI: comfy.org](https://comfy.org/) - [ComfyUI: comfy.org/pricing](https://comfy.org/pricing/) - [ComfyUI: github.com/Comfy-Org/ComfyUI](https://github.com/Comfy-Org/ComfyUI) - [ComfyUI: github.com/Comfy-Org/ComfyUI/releases](https://github.com/Comfy-Org/ComfyUI/releases) - [Invoke: invoke.ai](https://invoke.ai/) - [Invoke: invoke.ai/features/canvas/layers-and-drops](https://invoke.ai/features/canvas/layers-and-drops/) - [Invoke: invoke.ai/features/gallery](https://invoke.ai/features/gallery/) - [Invoke: invoke.ai/start-here/system-requirements](https://invoke.ai/start-here/system-requirements/) - [Krea: krea.ai](https://www.krea.ai/) - [Krea: krea.ai/app/api](https://www.krea.ai/app/api) - [Krea: krea.ai/pricing](https://www.krea.ai/pricing) - [Mage: docs.mage.space](https://docs.mage.space/) - [Mage: docs.mage.space/models/mango](https://docs.mage.space/models/mango) - [Mage: docs.mage.space/privacy/private-by-default](https://docs.mage.space/privacy/private-by-default) - [Mage: mage.space](https://www.mage.space/) - [Mage: mage.space/membership](https://www.mage.space/membership) - [Replicate: replicate.com](https://replicate.com/) - [Replicate: replicate.com/black-forest-labs/flux-kontext-pro](https://replicate.com/black-forest-labs/flux-kontext-pro) - [Replicate: replicate.com/docs](https://replicate.com/docs) - [Replicate: replicate.com/playground](https://replicate.com/playground) - [Replicate: replicate.com/pricing](https://replicate.com/pricing) ## Related pages - [Mage.space alternatives](https://www.imagequarry.com/alternatives/mage-space/): Alternatives to Mage (mage.space) for credits that last, a general API and phone apps. - [Krea alternatives](https://www.imagequarry.com/alternatives/krea/): Alternatives to Krea for phone apps, credits that last and a simpler editing loop. - [Invoke alternatives](https://www.imagequarry.com/alternatives/invoke/): Alternatives to Invoke, compared. - [AUTOMATIC1111 alternatives](https://www.imagequarry.com/alternatives/automatic1111/): Alternatives to the AUTOMATIC1111 Stable Diffusion web UI that are still maintained or need no install. - [Fooocus alternatives](https://www.imagequarry.com/alternatives/fooocus/): Alternatives to Fooocus for newer models, hosted generation and edits you type. - [All AI image tool alternatives](https://www.imagequarry.com/alternatives/): Every alternatives page, grouped by kind of tool. ## Skip the graph and keep every version Upload an image or describe one, then ask for each change in words and return to any earlier version when you want another direction.